Passwords
by Quintessential Dreams
Summary: Neville sort of pulls one over on Draco... or rather, gets the upper hand. Done for the Must I Prompt you: Pairing Challenge on HPFC ; Slash-related humor


**Passwords**

_**I own nothing.**_

_**Response to the Must I Prompt you: Pairing Challenge on HPFC. I got Neville and Draco and my prompt was Password. I think I did alright. =/ You can be the judge of that.**_

Neville couldn't believe his luck. Really, he couldn't. He had just outwitted Draco Malfoy. That's right! Neville – the clumsy oddball of Hogwarts – Longbottom _outwitted_ Draco – Death Eater junior and all around git- Malfoy. All over a stupid password too!

Well, Neville had been in the library all day with Hermione revising for their upcoming exams. Nothing too bad, but he still had quite a difficult time with Potions seeing as all he could ever see was Snape leering down at him and making him all nervous and jumpy; which usually caused Neville to add in one too many ingredients or stir the opposite way one is supposed to or even forget to add in an ingredient. Suffice to say, Neville was still terrified of Severus Snape five years later from starting Hogwarts.

"Understand Neville? The Moonstone needs to be a fine powdery dust rather than a chunky mess." Hermione was trying her hardest to make him understand, but to be honest, he really just didn't comprehend any of it.

"Okay, Hermione. Thanks." He muttered to her. She had always been nice to him, but not even Hermione's brains could get him thinking straight. After two hours of revising months of Potions homework and labs, Hermione politely gave up. "It's okay Hermione. I know I'm hopeless at potions." Neville reassured her, giving a slight pat to her shoulder. Neville watched as Hermione left and began packing his own things.

When not being harassed and tormented by Severus Snape, Neville tended to be put on the backseat of everyone's mind. They rarely paid much heed to him and Neville liked that. It meant that he overheard things one might not overhear normally. It was on such occasion that he listened in on a hushed conversation between two voices he'd recognise anywhere. One was Harry; a friend and dorm-mate of Neville. The other was Draco Malfoy and they seemed to be talking in hushed tones. Now, normally, Neville associated Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy with shouting matches and duels rather than hushed whispers and what he thought sounded like murmured words.

Leaving the rest of his books lying about, Neville crept to the other side of the shelf of books Harry and Malfoy were whispering to get a better idea of what it was they were actually talking about.

"Potter, just tell me." Malfoy's voice sounded almost urgent.

"Why so you can go back to Umbridge and let her know? It's bad enough how much you know already." There was heat to Harry's voice despite its murmur. Squinting, Neville noticed how close they were to each other and fought the scandalized gasp that wanted to force its way out. Harry was standing with his back against the wall, his legs slightly spread so that Malfoy fit in between them perfectly. Malfoy was hunched over Harry in his height, covering most of Harry from view. To Neville, it was quite an odd viewing, but he wanted to know what was going on. It seemed like they were talking about Dumbledore's Army, but it was too vague to make any clear opinion.

"I'd think with as much as I know Potter you'd trust me with that bit of information; seeing as I haven't gone to_ Professor _Umbridge yet like I should have." Regardless of the fact that Harry and Malfoy's stances were so odd, it gave Neville a good feeling in the pit of his stomach that they were still bickering, even if there was no shouting to it. "Why won't you just tell me how it is you get your friends in that room? Because trust me, we've all tried but it seems like that room wants you hidden." Yup, it was the Room of Requirement they were talking about and Dumbledore's Army. But then that meant that Malfoy knew about the DA and from what he heard, Harry had told Malfoy all about it.

"All the more reason to help keep us hidden from that retched woman. How can you stand her, Draco?" _WHAT!_ Did he hear correctly? Had Harry called Malfoy by his first name? Neville had to stop listening at that moment and went back to the table his bag was still at. Slumping down in a chair, Neville thought on all he'd just learned in those few crucial moments. Harry'd told Malfoy all about the DA and where they were, but he wouldn't tell him anything on how to get passed the Room of Requirement. They were situated in such an awkward position that it worried Neville a bit. The worst of it all was when Harry called Malfoy by his given name. In all the years Neville had known Harry, Harry had never called Malfoy that.

He quickly sat up when He saw someone move out from behind the shelf he had just been looking behind and saw a very frustrated Harry move quickly out. He moved to finish packing the rest of his things to go and speak with Harry on the matter when the second party came out and cornered Neville between him and the table. "Enjoy witnessing the lover's quarrel, Longbottom?" Malfoy spoke, his words seething with ire. "Doubt Potter saw you, but I did."

"I-I saw n…" Neville stopped. He had been caught. Instead, he tried a different tactic. "Did you get what you wanted from Harry? Playing on his generosity?" He wasn't sure where this newfound courage was coming from, but Neville wasn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth.

"Hardly, Longbottom," Malfoy took a step back and looked at Neville. "Perhaps you can help me with the problem."

"You want to know how to get into the room we use?" He continued, his air of luck and courage flying up with him. "Why would I tell you, Malfoy if your own boyfriend won't?" Neville was glad Harry hadn't been in the Library to hear the last part or else there would have been hell to pay for that comment. Though, from the ire that flashing in Malfoy's eyes for a moment told him that maybe that comment wasn't the best choice for standing up to Draco Malfoy.

"You tell anyone what you saw Longbottom, and I promise you, your Potions exam won't be the only thing you're worrying about. Got it?" Malfoy seemed to forget all about on how to get into the Room of Requirement where Harry taught them how to defend themselves and tried to make idle threats on not revealing his affections toward the Gryffindor. With that, Malfoy left Neville in peace and went on his way doing who knew what who knew where.

Yes, it was quite nice to have the upper hand for once.

**Author's Notes: Not my best, but I like it. Threw in some good ole' Drarry too. ^.^**


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